29 dead in Iraq mosque attack

BAGHDAD: A suicide bomber blew himself up inside Baghdad’s largest Sunni mosque on Sunday night, killing 29 people during prayers.

Iraqi security officials said Parliament lawmaker Khalid al-Fahdawi, was among the dead in the strike.

Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, a spokesman for Baghdad’s military operations command, confirmed the attack happened inside the Um al-Qura mosque during prayers in the western Baghdad neighbourhood of Al-Jamiaah.

Two security officials and medics at two Baghdad hospitals put the casualty toll at 29 dead and 38 wounded.

“I heard something like a very severe wind storm, with smoke and darkness, and shots by the guards,” said a shaken Mohammad Mustafa, who was inside the mosque and was hit in the hand by shrapnel.

“How could this occur?” he said. “Is al-Qaeda able to fulfil their act against worshippers? How did this breach happen?”

No group immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s bombing, but suicide attacks generally are a hallmark of al-Qaeda. The mosque’s security is provided by the government-supported Sunni Endowment, and al-Moussawi raised the possibility that the bomber had inside help.

“For sure there must have been someone inside the mosque who helped the bomber,” al-Moussawi said. “It must have been someone who is protecting the mosque.”